dee-luded

Melbourne Storm take the Canberra Raiders back to school for a big lesson. 68 - 4

you don't get it, you just don't get what I'm saying, & then you rant on misrepresenting what I'm saying, because you have no comprehension of what I'm getting at.. the last line says it all to me.. give Hogan back, are you mad? this is why the rotten old culture had to be smashed, to begin a new healthy culture, where young people learn to learn, thrive, & grow. and become good clubmen with no derision. I not capable of explaining my point to you any better, thru text, than I have... ..... as you said in another post re cricket, & I'll have to agree with you, we just disagree on this... I Know what I know, & you know what you know. as frustrating as it is, I don't know how to show you... what this is all about. ..... the test team, you can see the changes already, with Boof & the old guard returning to the test teams environs, they're starting immediately to play better.

its gots nothing to do with the game, it's about human behavior & the environment in which to learn & adapt under pressure. (see the test team over the last couple of years) ..... I'm obviously talking about stuff you don't comprehend... all our ways thru life are different, & some learn things others do not, & vice versa. I can tell your mind is not wired to comprehend the psychology of peoples inner workings, motivations, learning abilities, learning difficulties, healthy environments, etc. but you know the mechanics of cricket stroke making & scoring runs, etc. ...... so what worked for you... how many talented young players that played alongside you, couldn't make things work for themselves? did you ever wonder that your club environment was suitable to you,,, but maybe Not to some others, & that this may have been to their downfall? the wrong environment for them to grow in... this is why teams that have strong leadership, end up with good young people coming... they then carry on the traditions & cultures of success. ..... when all this culture is ripped apart you see the total breakdown of the culture & no success follows. degradation is the outcome. we did this to our indigenous peoples... & they have been, & are, really struggling to get back any sort of winning community ways. this also happened at Melbourne.

have you not watched & understood what has just happened to Melbourne Macca? you sound like you don't understand the mistakes we made with our club over the last 10Yrs,,, & how we went about the youth rebuild. they're very similar to whats happened to the test team. the hand over from the old guard, to the new (melbourne 2004 - 2010) was done badly, & so has the test team, been mishandled.

Smith too soon to say for me. but he seems to have stagnated over the same period of the recent couple of years turmoil. Warner I think he has, but he needs strong leadership to allow him to be un-political & focus on his cricket. another victim of the leadership debacle over the last few years. Watson I think is serviceable, & I'm hopeful he can get back to his strong quick run scoring ways as opener? Hughes - one dayer Cowan was stable as opener, but also has gone off in the same period as most, the last couple of years where the whole team lost focus & harmony. it unsettled all. khawaja still too emotionally/mentally green imo to be 1st drop. but I think may have a future, start in the mid order. Rogers is needed & will I think be one of the ones who eventually move over for one of your newbies.. Rogers is needed to steady the ship at present. I think to re-balance the Unit, we have to do as Boof appears to be doing, to get the team past the last couple of destructive years under bad philosophical ideals & naive leaders.

yes but Not when the team wheels are off culturally & environmentally, you need to look no further than Melbourne. let Boof get his practices & values inplace first then bring them in. the wheels are fitted & the alignment is starting to happen.

I don't think its the right time to blood any kids at the moment... we have to make sure the team environment is together & a united & focused team before we bring any kids in. this may only take another test if they can get past their insecure Ego's & stop the competative bitching. I think the only possible weaknesses are hughes & khawaja & the spinners spot & allrounders spot. Haddin at the moment looks steady, so I'd go for settling the side first to see what we've got.. like Melbourne, we have to relearn how to grind the opposition down all over again. ... Its not class we need mostly,,, its Unity, Courage & Fight. Once these are found again, then the class can come in.

IMO, hughes is far too reckless to play top order,, however he can score quickly, so maybe he can play mid order, but probably not on a turner or against the likes of swann who can turn on any track? Hughes may be in trouble. Khawaja I think isn't ready to play 3.. IMO I don't think he's mentally tough enough as 1st drop, & going in early with backs to the wall style.... but I reckon we can bring him thru from the mid order behind clark.. Khawaja looks to me more of a no 4 than a gritty No 3. I'm not in your team re getting rid of Watson, so I'd like Warner to bat @ 2 if he can work with Watson,,, otherwise @ 3. Rogers is gritty & is my preferred No 3 atmo. as I said Pre test series. he surprised me with his scoring speed Day 1. I'd like to see khawaja @ 5 to get him into top form & confidence, & then some day switch with Clark... got the trots, Harris just did, he got the trots...

rain on the last day may be a problem.

I'd play Warner as the No 3, or 2.. if 2, then Rogers @ 3, Clark @ 4, followed by Khawaja @ 5. Warner it seems needs to play against the shiny ball, & I seems Rogers is more capable than both Watson & Warner against any spin. then with Clark the best Swann player in the team @ 4, followed by Khawaja to bolster the top/middle order.

righto rhino you really got no idea about these things you won't even listen to test legends. no ones sayin he can't captain, he's just shitat it. but he may learn... unlike yourself.

because those playing under his leadership are playing worse than they were. we all seen & heard of the stories about clark falling out with this one, & that one, you don't hear this about other greats. & I know as well if I were in their, I wouldn't like his ways either, & I don't from where I sit now.. so my life experiences as well tell me. then ontop of that you have the likes of Chapelli, & others, saying things about his choice of where to bat in the lineup.. finally after public media pressure from past legends, he now changes. he should have been at 4 as soon as Punter was retired. you keep saying & believing its only talent... when its not... its about the belief & the desire to perform above yourself,,, that grows from the love of what it is your fighting for. where the passion stems from. the team harmony is all about fostering this, & creating the environment to allow players to be their best. this is whats gone missing in the last few years. & with it the desire, & the results have flatulated like a deflating baloon.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/gb/manchester/m1-2/daily-weather-forecast/329260

sorry t_u, its not.

theres no negativity about Clark as a batsmen, Macca.. but thats got nothing to do with being a captain... you really don't get it, what effect a great captain can have on players outputs, & team outputs, the same as coaches... leadership is Every thing. I'm realising most people just cannot understand 'the world' that is different than their own 'personal lives' world... the same people, I imagine, could also lack empathy & sympathetic traits as well... maybe thats why great leadership is a rarity... & to be valued when found.

I just hit the wrong keyboard key, & lost my reply... damn

its a reflection of both... its a refection of bad recent past leadership both on & off field, that has caused a breakdown in team harmony & comradeship,,, which is now under repair. but the result was a total loss of self belief in individuals & the loss of any remaining momentum handed down from the 'Tugga' era, leading into the last 8 or so years. All this was compounded buy the retirements of greats who papered over any cracks of weak leadership since Tugga.

Yeah hes finally stood up after being pushed up to 4th... after all the grewats knocked his lack of leadership in hiding away @ 5... but you keep on with your fantasies. everyone else is wrong again, even chappell & lillee.

We're batting first!

Australia: Shane Watson Chris Rogers Usman Khawaja Michael Clarke © Steven Smith David Warner Brad Haddin (W) Peter Siddle Mitchell Starc Ryan Harris Nathan Lyon England: Alastair Cook © Joe Root Jonathan Trott Kevin Pietersen Ian Bell Jonathan Bairstow Matt Prior (W) Tim Bresnan Stuart Broad Graeme Swann James Anderson

'Burnt' offering: Cook puts his spin on spin-friendly pitch England captain Alastair Cook has defended the production of what Australia believes are ''burnt'' patches on the pitch for the third Test, saying it is the host country's right to drum home its territorial advantage. Australia arrived at Old Trafford in little doubt England was again looking to exploit its weakness against spin bowling, finding a dry, cracking pitch with a scattering of mysterious marks on it. ''It's got a handful of bare patches, which I'm unsure how they get there,'' Australian captain Michael Clarke said. Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin was equally bemused, saying: ''It looks like it's been burnt, little bits of it. They weren't footmarks, but we know what the wickets they're going to produce are, it's not a secret.'' But Cook strongly defended the Manchester wicket, which has been re-aligned 90 degrees as part of the redevelopment of the ground that has transformed the venue from the ugly duckling of the English circuit to an appealing mix of polish and character. ''Old Trafford is notorious for having a wicket that is not aesthetically pleasing, if I could put it that way,'' Cook said. ''But I don't think it's going to make any difference at all. I think it's actually a better looking Old Trafford wicket than normally.'' Cook said England, which has included additional spinner Monty Panesar in its 14-man squad was, as the host country, well within its rights to have a wicket prepared that suited it. ''I think that's what home advantage is,'' he said. ''It's very hard to actually just order a wicket. You can ask for a wicket … to try and suit your style of play, but it's very difficult to get it absolutely right with the weather. ''We had a month's worth of rain in three hours the other day, so that obviously changes it a lot. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/burnt-offering-cook-puts-his-spin-on-spinfriendly-pitch-20130731-2qzma.html#ixzz2agxsDcXv

Chappell wants Clarke to bat at one-drop Ian Chappell with legendary paceman Dennis Lillee at the official launch of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Melbourne on Tuesday. Photo: Getty Images Former Test skipper Ian Chappell says Michael Clarke's refusal to promote himself to No.3 for the third Ashes Test is crazy. The bold move won't happen because captain Clarke is happier at No.5, despite the inexperience of his top six. Chappell also wants the Aussies, who trail two-nil in the five-match series, to at least go down fighting if they are going to cop another defeat in Manchester in the match starting on Thursday. "They need (David) Warner in the side but they don't need him batting at six. He should be opening but I fear he won't be," Chappell said on Tuesday. "His talents won't be entirely wasted but they'll be diluted if he bats down the order, especially at number six. "I'd be opening with Shane Watson and Warner." Chappell says a major problem is the key No.3 slot which is currently filled by Usman Khawaja (averaging 30.09 in seven Tests). "Long term you've got to have a decent number three and Australia hasn't got one," Chappell said. "I'm biased because I batted a lot of my career there but I think it's the best place in the order to bat. "I don't understand why Michael Clarke doesn't go there." Chappell says Clarke is not a typical No.3. "But when you haven't got one who's a prototype then your best player's got to play there," Chappell added. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/chappell-wants-clarke-to-bat-at-onedrop-20130730-2qx6t.html#ixzz2aX1KblV3

yeah, he seems to have that fire in the belly of "attitude" & take it on.... sort of reminds me a little of Ian Chappell in his rebel stature. rough, but, lets see where he can take his game if he learns some lessons.

that is the feeling i get,,, but I had no idea that punter was so deep in this Poo as well. I'm not an avid cricket reader these days, & I barely watch it, as interestingly in the Punter as Captain Era, I've started losing some (a lot) of interest in the game, & tune out. so this is where the tail has begun to wag the Australian test cricket dog... IMO, players who come into (born into) a powerful Team, somehow develop a born to rule, (get out its mine) attitude to the team & the game... this is a devastating attitude which can grow into a culture... (see mcc - MFC) Checker smashed this & Smith carried the strong culture...

Macca I can remember plenty of times when players in shield were scoring heavily & topping the sheets, but were not given a cap, even when other test players were struggling..... word was that some of the good shield players weren't wanted in the test team dressing room,, my take, they weren't liked & not wanted. there are reasons these things happen, & also why the wrong people at the top of the board, can destroy good things which they don't understand. I think this has happened to us recently.